U.S. Highway 19A (
US 19A) was established in 1948 when US 19 swapped routes with the previous US 19A between
Ela and
Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, via
Soco Gap. US 19A followed the old alignment of US 19 from Ela, through
Dillsboro,
Sylva, and
Waynesville, to Lake Junaluska. Between 1954 and 1957, US 19A/US 23 was placed onto current routing bypassing
Balsam. Between 1958 and 1962, US 19A/US 23 was placed on
one-way streets through Sylva; northbound via Main Street and southbound via Mill Street. In 1967, US 19A/US 23 was rerouted on new freeway bypass west of Waynesville; its old alignment becoming
US 23 Bus. In 1974, US 19A was placed on new freeway bypass north of Dillsboro and Sylva; its old alignment becoming
US 23 Bus. In 1975, the relocation around Sylva was submitted to
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for approval, but was denied by the subcommittee; despite the denial,
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) left signage as is. In 1976, US 19A was placed on new freeway bypass east of Bryson City, from Alarka Road to
US 441; its old alignment from Ela to
Whittier was downgraded to secondary road. In 1982, NCDOT submitted a request to AASHTO to switch US 19 and US 19A between Bryson City and Lake Junaluska; but was later withdrawn before the vote. In 1983, US 19A was redesignated US 19 Byp.; despite the change, signage along the route maintained US 19A during and after US 19 Byp. was also eliminated in 1987. ==Bryson City–Lake Junaluska bypass route==